Gardens of Meridian
by Alannada
Summary: "One day Meridian will be knowm for its gardens." /Collection of drabbles about Phobos. Updated sporadically
1. Born Under An Unlucky Star

Gardens of Meridian  
Summary:  
"One day Meridian will be knowm for its gardens."

A/N:  
Because I felt like writing something about Phobos.  
This is a place where I'll post my Phobos drabbles. It'll be updated sporadically  
Characters and other tags will be added later, rating may change  
This chapter was originally posted on AO3 (2017-03-30)

o0o

Chapter 1: Born Under An Unlucky Star

The sun was slowly disappearing behind the horizon, painting the sky in colors of orange, red and violet. The day seemed to flee before the night, heat of one of the one last hot days of the year slowly changing in a warm night. It was the time between time, when the dark and light were mingling together - a perfect moment for a strong magic user to be born.

The Queen always loved to watch the sunset, to smell the scents of the garden and to observeg the lights appear in windows in the city below the palace. She loved the peaceful atmosphere, the calm joy of a day full of work coming to an end.

Yet today she wasn't standing on the balcony of her room. She was resting on her bed, her fragile body covered with a soft blanket. Two maids, her mate and a healer were standing around her bed, observing her as she was breathing deeply, slowly calming down. She could hear a second healer take care of the newborn child nearby, but she kept her eyes closed. The baby was crying loudly - a good sign. She needed a healthy, strong heir. The queen took a deep breath, trying to as royally as she could with her hair fanned out on her pillow and her cheeks still red after giving birth to her child.

"So? Is it a girl?" she asked, grasping the edge of the blanket. Just as she collected her thoughts this one question came to mind, filled it entirely. She needed a daughter, her succeson. For so many years she had been waiting... "A girl?" it was more like an order than a question. Her blue eyes were focused on her mate and advisor now. Why was he quiet? "A girl? Answer me! Is it an heir?"

It had to be. Meridian needed to have a princess, a powerful ruler to come after her. Her people needed to live in peace and she knew it was her duty to maintain the prosper of her kingdom and give birth to at least one girl. For so many years she could do the latter...

"It's a beautiful, healthy boy, Your Highness," the second healer spoke as he approached the bed. He held the child wrapped in white, soft towel. "Would you...?"

The Queen took a deep breath and bit her bottom lip. So this was the reason for the rest to remain quiet. Her hopes were crashed, faded faster than candlelight in a strong wind. No heir. The future still full of uncertainty. She felt she failed and that made her tired body tremble.

"Leave me."

"My love..." started her mate. "We can..."

"Leave me. I need to rest," she said, her voice softer now than it was a second ago. There was no reason to be angry at him or anyone else. It was but bad luck. It was her fault she brought to this world a child who wasn't a girl.

"Should I leave the Prince beside you, Your Highness?" asked the healer, still rocking the child in his arms. She replied immediately.

"No. Find someone in the city or among the palace staff to take care of him," she shook her head. The healer left the room, following everyone else. He looked down at the baby in his embrace, pale eyes looking up at him sleepily.

"You're born under an unlucky star, my Prince," he said softly to the child and realized that the Queen didn't give him any name. "But I will take care of you, I promise."

The Queen remained quiet, closing her eyes again. A boy. A child she would care for and love, but one who wouldn't never make her feel fulfilled, who wouldn't ensure the peaceful future of Meridian. Fear was growing in her heart. Was that the fate of her beloved land - to lose its serenity? There was no way the boy could rule it after her, not like a girl would do. Would he be her only child? 


	2. The Stargazing Boy

Chapter 2: The Stargazing Boy

A maid was walking theough the garden of the royal palace. The spring evening was warm and beautiful. She was carrying flowers in a basket, thinking about her next task when she saw a child sitting on the edge of a fountain. He was clad in black robe, his pale hair falling behind his back and reaching to the surface of the water behind his back. He was observing the stars appear in the darkening sky. She was wondering for a moment if he was thinking about the miscarried pregnancy of his mother. The whole Palace was mourning the loss of the Royal Family. No one knew it it'd be a girl, but the Queen ordered everyone to wear black for a whole month. The maid thought that this color didn't fit the little Prince, who probably didn't realize entirely why he was wearing it instead of his favourite blue and green.

"Good evening to you, Prince Phobos," she greeted him, offering him a warm smile. Big, emotionless eyes turned to look her way. "The stars are pretty today, right?" she said. The Prince looked up again and gave a small nod.

"I'm looking for the Unlucky Star," he said.

"The Unlucky Star?" the maid looked up as well, brushing aside her brown hair and frowning, trying to remember which star could have such an odd name.

"Everyone says I'm born under it," the Prince shrugged and focused his bright eyes on the starry sky, ignoring the woman. She gave him a sad look and went away, not sure what to say. He was right, everyone was thinking this. He was a good observer and already learning magic. He could be such a wonderful heir - beautiful, smart and never behaving badly, Yet everyone knew one day the Queen would give birth to a healthy girl, a Princess. And she knew that after her brith no one would remember about the prince.

Calm eyes, oddly serious for a kid his age, were still trained on the sky when the prince thought a similar thing. 'One day Lady Mother will give birth to a Lady Sister. But this will not be happening soon,' a faint smile graced his lips. 'If ever.'


	3. Outdoors

Outdoors

The tutor was running between huge eggs. They could be mistaken for blueish rocks, but he knew well those weren't rocks, but eggs of dangerous beasts.

"Prince Phobos!" he called and heard a quiet noise to his left. He turned in this direction and after a short run he found the young boy standing behind a huge egg. "My Prince! Come, we must immediately leave this area! It's dangerous here!"

"Don't be scared," replied the Prince and took out of his sleeve a long needle. He put it against the egg and pushed. The surface of the egg moved in before the needle went through it. "See? It's safe, they're not ready to leave the eggs yet."

"But Prince... If your mother..." started the tutor. It seemed the young one was right - the eggs needed a few weeks to hatch. But he was still looking around nervously, adult beasts could be around.

"Give me a second and be quiet," the Prince spoke silently as he moved the needle back to the hidden pocket in his sleeve and put against the little hole a small bottle. Some thick blue liquid started to pour from the egg to the bottle, The boy was calm and his movements were precise. There was no hesitation to his movements as he took a step back and put the bottle in his sleeve. "I'm done. See? Nothing bad happened."

After those words a silent hiss came to their ears. It came from a hole in the ground, hidden behind an egg. Just after it the beast came out - a huge monster with multiple limbs and deadly claws. The tutor shrieked and caught the arm of the Prince, wanting to run with him as far from the beast as he could. But the young boy stood firmly and freed his arm from his grip. He lifted his other hand and a white lightning formed in his grip. He threw it at the charging monster and covered his face with his sleeve as the spell hit the target and exploded.

Prince Phobos sighed as he saw that his robe was covered by blood and little bits of the monster mixed with what remained from the nearest egg. He turned to his tutor and smiled faintly as he saw his face green from fear, his hands shaking.

"I told you that we're safe," he said as he passed beside him. "Come, we must go home. I need to change and take a long bath." he said, distaste clear in his voice. "I can't attend the tea with my Lady Mother like this."


	4. Rest, Dear Mother

A/N: A Mother Day special for all my amazing readers and reviewers!

* * *

 **Rest, Dear Mother**

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Prince Phobos stood before his mother's bed. She was looking at him, clad in his dark robe, a black rose in his hands. Her son was so tall and handsome, just like his father, but he had her hair and eyes. Those eyes were now looking calmly at the unwell Queen, who appeared thinner than ever, her skin pale and her powers dull. She had been tired constantly for months and finally a week ago she had stopped attending court duties. Her son was ruling the land in her stead, every evening coming to talk to her, ask for her orders and bringing her flowers. Usually it was a single rose of pale pink or red, but today it was as black as the night outside. The Queen felt an odd feeling of anxiety wash over her, was this black rose a bad omen? He leaned in and laid the rose on her chest, just above her heart.

"What is it for?" she asked, her voice weak. In the past few days she had trouble eating and tended to return even herbal teas of her healers. It only added to the dull ache of her tired body and rendered her more weak than before. All she could drink was usually a cup of tea shared with her son every evening. "Why is it back..?"

"Black is the most fitting color for you, mother," he stated, his voice soft. Then he moved to sit beside her - anyone who would enter the room would see a son watching over his sick mother. "After all it's the color of death."

"What?" Her eyes widened in shock and she tried to move, but was too weak to do more than brush the rose off her body. Phobos picked it up and twirled the stern in his fingers, looking thoughtful. "I am not going to die, son, I have duties..."

The young man ignored her whispered words and touched her cool hand. She shivered when she felt his power sweeping through her. His eyes, so similar to hers, were looking at her in calm calculation, as if judging how much strength she had. Her magic rose to block the power of her son, but after months of sickness it was too fragile to stand a chance against the sorcerer she had birthed years ago. He noticed her weak resistance to his scrutiny and a small shadow of a smile adorned his lips.

"You know, mother, there's a reason why only female rulers were allowed in Meridian," he leaned in as if to share a secret with her. She looked at him with wide eyes, not understanding what happened to her silent, obedient son, who loved to study and never spoke about things like this. His voice was different, firmer, with more authority. And, the most startling and frigh inspiring thing, he appeared to be smug about something and she had no idea what - she only suspected it wasn't anything good. "The kings were feared for their power, everyone envied them their might and abilities. Now they will fear me. I guess you found the most fitting name for me, mother." She wanted to cry, to ask him what was wrong with him, what changed him so much, what possesed him. But as his power swept over her her vocal chords tightened and no sound left her parted lips. She looked frantically around, but there was no one she could ask for help. Was it a bad dream? It had to be, it had to be a dream broght by her fever. She was going to wake up and realize it was but a nightmare... The Queen clung to this thought as her eyes once again rested on her son. Prince Phobos smiled softly, almost sadly, as if he knew what she was thinking. "Now excuse me, I have a kingdom to rule," he stood up and laid the rose just beside her head as he bent down to press a soft kiss to her cheek. She could smell the sweet scent of the flower.

"Rest, my dear mother," he said loud enough to be heard by a maid who entered the room, his voice full of concern and soft again, devoid of the coldness. The Queen opened her mouth, looking at the man, but as she inhaled the scent of the rose she felt a misty haze envelope her mind. Her head rolled on the pillow towards the flower.

The last thing she saw was a beautiful pink rose, its petals brushing her cheek, and a pair of eyes hovering above her, eyes at the same time cold and burning with emotions the Queen didn't dare to name.

A/N: Was it good? Was it bad?


End file.
